FS2002/FS9 Unreal Aviation Skywalker Strap-On Helicopter. Tiny backpack helicopter with two counterbalanced, contra-rotating single-blade rotors each driven by a tiny 125cc ten horsepower engine.
Based upon the 1940's work of Paul Baumgartl, this is a modernised version with a couple of minor, subtle changes for safety.
With the single blades counterbalanced by the engines and control in pitch and roll by weight-shift, this helicopter couldn't be simpler. Yaw control is via the right-hand twistgrip, which differentially alters the rotor's pitch, thus altering their torque.
Throttle and collective pitch is taken care of by the left twistgrip and pitch control is hydraulic with the pumps driven by the blade's rotation. Each engine has its own fuel system and pump and either engine will drive both rotors. However, it will not maintain height on one engine and it is essential to close the throttle to lower the collective should one (or both) engine quit on you. Note that yaw control is reversed during engine-off autorotation (sorry, can't be simulated).
Easy to fly and makes an excellent trainer, with the added advantage that you can safely do a run-on landing even if this looks odd.
The 2D panel is an older (FS2002 compatible) version of Steve Hanley's amazing HeliHud and Tom Wood's neat HUD Autopilot. Compass and fuel gauge are available by pressing SHIFT 3 and SHIFT 4 respectively. The simple VC has no gauges because the real thing doesn't have any either. This is a 'seat-of-the-(brown)-pants' helicopter in every respect!
Included is a special gauge to trigger a subtle smoke effect that would be present at most power settings plus the smoke effect itself and another gauge to bend the pilot's legs slightly.
Installation:
Drop the Skywalker folder into your main Aircraft folder.
FS2002 users should move the gauges and the entire Unreal folder out of the aircraft's Panel folder into their default gauges folder. Do NOT remove the gauges from the Unreal folder. If you already have an Unreal folder then overwrite it with this one.
FS9 users please note that the HeliHud gauge used here is an older one compatible with FS2002 and although this gauge will still (mostly) work you will have much better results if you download the latest version which is FS9 only.
Drop the fx_skywalker_smoke.fx file into your main Effects folder.
Flying:
It's a helicopter - crash in the normal way. Actually, it is quite easy to fly... ;-)
On loading the aircraft, wait for the rotors to come to a halt before starting the engine. Start the engine with F1 then CTRL F4 then CTRL SHIFT F4.
Normal 60-75% cruise is about 55 KIAS and keep your eye on that fuel gauge, the range is limited.
Due to the whirling mass above your head, the rotors actually carry quite a bit of inertia and it is not as agile as you might expect.
The pilot is subtly animated to add a bit of realism.
An autopilot is included, just for fun...
Engage above 200 feet and 40 KIAS by clicking the red square. Disengage before landing.
Attempting to fly down an ILS will result in tears.
For maximum realism, you should REVERSE the axis on your joystick to mimic the control bar (not recommended).
Clever gauge that bends the pilot's legs in flight courtesy of Stick (Patrick Waugh).
Pointless and annoying 'Tailhook' messages courtesy of Microsoft.
That's it, have Fun.
This aircraft and associated files are FREEWARE and must remain so.
If you downloaded it from anywhere other than www.hovercontrol.com, www.SurClaro or www.simviation.com then I didn't upload it!
